As Yolande and Patrick Trueman front one of their own, here is a ranking of every iconic two-hander episode so far.
It’s become an absolute staple of the iconic London-set soap opera EastEnders, but a two-hander episode can still offer us something vital.
As Yolande (Angela Wynter) and Patrick Trueman (Rudolph Walker) have a much-needed dialogue about the former’s horrific experience of sexual assault, the soap has taken the very necessary step to devote an entire episode to the much-loved couple’s conversation.
With the release of the moving instalment, we felt like it was a perfect time to look back on the wonderful work of the BBC One soap as they utilised the unique storytelling structure 24 times over the last four decades.
While the odd entry has been debated about its two-hander status, we have decided to include any that could be considered eligible, and which consist primarily of a lengthy instalment focusing on the interaction of two regular characters.
So, here is a ranking of the 24 two-hander episodes so far in EastEnders history.
EastEnders two-handers ranked
24. Phil Mitchell and Jay Brown (2017)
There is no denying that Steve McFadden and Jamie Borthwick rank among some of the best performers in the history of EastEnders. However, this episode – despite strong dialogue from writer Rob Gittins – was a disappointing instalment in a baffling storyline from an underwhelming era of the soap.
Borthwick especially shines as a devastated Jay grapples with the utterly random retcon of Jase Dyer not being his dad, but rather a homeless man who died in the car lot in 1994 – the only thing more baffling than the retcon – with the ‘twist’ revelation that Phil was being forced into this elaborate lie.
Thankfully, returning show boss John Yorke was less keen on the turn and swiftly tidied away the story, with Max Branning revealing in a few lines of dialogue that he blackmailed Phil into lying to Jay to get more property on the Square. Yet, we’ll never truly understand why Jay’s grandad Bert Atkinson also joined in the lie not long after the two-hander aired!
23. Sharon Mitchell and Michelle Fowler (2017)
Once again, this two-hander proved very watchable, as many sought to get their head around the controversial recasting of the legendary Michelle Fowler. The renowned actress Jenna Russell did have on-screen chemistry with Letitia Dean, but sadly never convinced as the earthy and gritty Michelle, with this episode helping to highlight the mission statement of Michelle’s return (setting up the ill-advised Preston storyline) and failing to convince viewers that the right call had been made.
Sadly, the choice to bring back Michelle with a new face remained a mistake, and this episode, along with the recasting at large, is best consigned to the past.
22. Ricky Butcher and Phil Mitchell (2000)
One of the few two-handers to also serve as an exit episode, Phil and his friend/former brother-in-law Ricky Butcher (Sid Owen) shared a tumultuous final encounter before the latter fled Walford, seemingly for good.
Following a car accident in a stolen motor, Phil and Ricky face off over recent convoluted criminal schemes and lies on the part of the former and the suicidal ideation that Ricky has felt after the departures of wife Bianca (Patsy Palmer) and their son Liam. It was a moving moment of masculine vulnerability between the pair over the past trauma that Ricky felt over the loss of infant daughter Natasha, and the hope that Phil tried to instil in him for the future shows Sid Owen at his very best as Ricky.
Despite the push and pull between the two throughout the episode, frustratingly, Ricky hitchhikes away from Walford regardless. A strong first two-hander from writer Simon Ashdown, but he had much better to come.
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21. Linda Carter and Stuart Highway (2018)
The show was certainly on something of a rebound following John Yorke’s return to the show, and the introduction of the excellent Ricky Champ as villainous Stuart Highway was an inspired choice.
Thankfully, the show began to wind down the lengthy ‘Mick in prison’ story with this tense and uncomfortable two-hander, which saw Linda Carter (the wonderful Kellie Bright) attempt to seduce Stuart in a bid to extract a confession from him, proving he framed Mick for shooting him.
It’s certainly one of the most tense two-handers, as Stuart discovers Linda’s plan, leading to a violent showdown between the pair as Linda is forced to defend herself. Thankfully, Linda’s back-up plan was unveiled in a final twist to the tale, as a second recording device captured the truth. Whether the show did the right thing trying to redeem Stuart as a character after all his monstrous actions can be left for fans to debate, but Champ and Bright’s work together remains a treat.
20. Martin and Sonia Fowler (2007)
In the aftermath of Pauline Fowler’s Christmas Day death and the build-up to their exits from Walford, there were still final twists to be played out for Martin (then James Alexandrou) and Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy).
Both fearing that Sonia had killed Pauline in a fit of rage after a nasty encounter on Christmas Day, the couple’s ugliest side reared its head as Martin vowed to punish Sonia for causing the death of his controlling mother and to part her from their daughter Rebecca for good.
In distressing scenes, Sonia was arrested on suspicion of murder. Thankfully, the pair’s fortunes would be swiftly reversed following this episode when Joe Macer (Joe Macer) was revealed to have killed his estranged wife Pauline before Martin and Sonia lived a temporary ‘happily ever after’ and departed Albert Square.
19. Stacey and Max Branning (2010)
Somehow, this episode didn’t live up to the hype for some fans, and it’s so hard to pinpoint why. A strong script from the legend Simon Ashdown, two of the soap’s best ever actors in Jake Wood and Lacey Turner and with killer chemistry, heaps of history and a current A-list headline storyline – Stacey killed Archie! Bradley just died! – yet the episode’s runtime was felt, as was the show truly working hard to reinstate a status quo following some game-changing twists, with both characters ending back up on the Square where they should be.
However, the chapter’s conclusion, with an aerial shot sweeping out to transform into the credit titles, remains iconic, and the episode’s legacy has to be that it helped Stacey’s exit later in the year to truly sing.
18. Frank Butcher and Roy Evans (1998)
Always overshadowed by the Pat/Peggy two-hander, the accompanying episode focusing on the men of the love quadrangle is also a very strong outing for the soap. Opening with an unlikely high-speed car chase and escalating as Roy threatened to take his own life at the top of a car park, Frank (the ever-likeable Mike Reid) manages to talk Roy (a moving Tony Caunter) down and the pair soon head to a nearby strip club (of all places) to have a heart-to-heart about mental health, financial ruin, familial responsibilities, and – of course – Pat (Pam St Clement).
Secrets on both sides were shared and a new understanding met before both decided to return to their partners in Walford and recommit to their futures, even though it’s clear that Frank has only managed to keep his engagement to pub landlady Peggy Mitchell (Barbara Windsor) going by the skin of his teeth.
17. Sharon Watts and Phil Mitchell (2002)
Few soap pairings have a comparable well of history to Phil and Sharon. Remaining both magnetic yet toxic, the pair feel at their most mature here in this two-hander back in 2002, following their latest romantic reunion and as both attempted to move forward to positive new chapters in their lives.
Aided by the great chemistry between McFadden and Dean, who know their characters as much as Phil and Sharon know each other, classic writer Tony Jordan brings both characters’ psychological issues to the surface: both with their daddy issues and with trying to step out of their parents’ shadows. If only Phil and Sharon’s resolve ever materialised into a healthier reality – but then we wouldn’t have it any other way.
16. Kat and Alfie Moon (2004)
For over two years, EastEnders fans were gripped by the early love story of cheeky chappy Alfie Moon (Shane Richie) and his soulmate Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace). However, the pair faced their biggest major stumbling plot yet when it was revealed that Kat had sex with her former fiancé Andy Hunter in a bid to save Alfie from a grisly fate after failing to pay off debts to gangster Andy.
Yet, Andy’s crimes did not just extend to blackmail, but to secretly recording his sex with Kat to humiliate Alfie for previously causing the gangster to be jilted by Kat on their wedding day. While Alfie was disgusted by the revelation of Kat’s actions, it was clear that it was all done to protect him. The drama would ultimately poison the Moon marriage for the time being, and it is clear that despite a resolve, an almighty fissure had formed for the golden couple – one that would not be truly fixed until their fairytale Christmas Day exit the following year.
15. Den Watts and Dot Branning (2004)
Two icons of soap go toe-to-toe in the launderette in another psychological assessment of their characters, as Dot Branning (June Brown) and Den Watts (Leslie Grantham) deal with some current life dramas with the benefits of older age – but not necessarily maturity in Den’s case.
In a rich script from writer Sarah Phelps, Brown and Grantham deliver career-best turns as Den forces Dot to face her true motivations for not confiding in her second husband Jim (John Bardon) about her kidney cancer, while she questions Den’s appalling treatment of his second wife Chrissie (Tracy-Ann Oberman). After tearing some strips out of each other, the pair reach a tender understanding and a desire to communicate with their respective spouses. Growing up does have some benefits!
14. Den Watts and Dennis Rickman (2004)
Despite only having been a recent addition to the cast by the time of this two-hander, Dennis Rickman (played by the charismatic Nigel Harman) was already a major player, and his psychological motivations and evident daddy issues had been laid bare even before Dirty Den Watts made his comeback from the dead.
Therefore, the drama was ripe for the taking, and the pair’s inability (and tragedy) to coexist made the conflict between the two roguish men all the more satisfying. Of course, the other chief conflict between the pair to arise was their love for Den’s adopted daughter Sharon Watts, with Den being obsessively controlling of her, and Dennis finding a romantic soulmate with her. These two would never find a healthy relationship, and the soap sure made some dynamite television out of it while it could.
13. Yolande and Patrick Trueman (2024)
The newest entry to this list is long overdue in many ways. This two-hander marks the first to feature not only a person of colour, but also to feature two people of colour. If that wasn’t enough, it marks the first for long-running show legend Patrick Trueman (Rudolph Walker), here opposite his best screen partner, Yolande (the ever-powerful Angela Wynter).
The outing couldn’t have come at a better time, either, as the powerful sexual assault story focusing on Yolande meant some difficult conversations were needed between her and her soulmate Patrick. Despite featuring some devastating exchanges between the pair, the script from Lauren Klee leans into the easy chemistry between Walker and Wynter and ends with the pair closer than ever. It’s a shame we were without them together for so long.
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12. Dot Cotton and Ethel Skinner (1987)
The second two-hander in the show’s history, on a rainy day in Walford, life-long best friends Dot Cotton (June Brown) and Ethel Skinner (Gretchen Franklin) babysit infant Vicki Fowler and reminisce about their different experiences during the Second World War, their relationships with motherhood, and their very different marriages.
One of the most overtly theatrical of the two-handers, but one utilising the stage backgrounds of the incomparable Brown and Franklin, the episode is a real study of character work and peeling away backstory. Two beloved comedic characters are shown at their melancholy best, yet not without some laugh-out-loud hijinks – Dot and Ethel’s two-hander is also a snapshot of an East-End generation, and so lovingly crafted too. “I’m not miserable, I’m a very deep and sensitive person,” notes Dot, and she’s not wrong!
11. Sonia Jackson and Dot Branning (2002)
One of the sweetest relationships in EastEnders history remains between Dot and her adopted granddaughter Sonia Jackson, the height of their close bond most exemplified during Sonia’s emotional kidnapping of her daughter Chloe, now adopted into a new family and named Rebecca.
Eager to be reunited with the daughter she once gave away as a broken teenage mother, Sonia acted out, and it was only her dearest Dot who could manage to talk her down in highly touching scenes that showed June Brown and Natalie Cassidy’s bond at its best. After viewing this, it’s hard to not see why Sonia is the perfect person to carry on Dot’s legacy in the present day.
10. Matthew Rose and Steve Owen (2000)
The nation was gripped in 1999 following the iconic on-screen death of obsessive Saskia Duncan (Deborah Sheridan-Taylor) at the hands of nightclub owner and gangster Steve Owen (Martin Kemp), who went on to cover up her murder with DJ Matthew Rose (Joe Absolom) and buried her in Epping Forest. Yet, the story took another dark turn when Saskia’s body was discovered and Steve framed Matthew for killing Saskia as he was arrested and charged with manslaughter, with Matthew later being wrongfully found guilty in court.
However, in December 1999, Matthew was released on new forensic evidence and Steve found himself being stalked and tormented with messages, growing convinced that Matthew was responsible – but the police found zero evidence of this. Events reached a climax in this tense and thrilling two-hander, as a vengeful Matthew faced Steve in E20 nightclub and delivered him psychological warfare with threats to his home, family and person – even suggesting he had also framed Steve for the murder of Saskia’s sister.
As Steve was left broken by the encounter, a further twist occurred when it became clear the entire situation was merely to break Steve psychologically, and none of his threats amounted to more than that. Matthew left the soap after his sadistic revenge and was never seen since – but what an exit, and what a two-hander!
9. Phil Mitchell and Lisa Fowler (2003)
The months prior to this epic Portugal-set two-hander had built up major speculation and mystery surrounding the fate of Lisa Fowler (Lucy Benjamin), after Phil returned to Walford alone with their infant daughter Louise and remained cagey about her fate. Phil had also entered into a romance with undercover police officer Kate Morton (Jill Halfpenny), who was questioning the fate of the missing Lisa. So, as Phil finally opened up to Kate, the soap treated us to flashback episodes filmed on-location in Portugal as we witnessed Lisa’s new life with Louise as Phil tracked her down.
The two-hander itself picked up on a clifftop as a terrified Lisa stood near the edge with baby Lou, as Phil sought to get his daughter back in his life. Anchored by a psychologically rich script from Gillian Richmond and a moving performance from Lucy Benjamin, this distressing two-hander shows Phil at his absolute worst, as he drives abused Lisa to the point of a nervous breakdown to get his hands on daughter Louise. As a distressed Lisa obeys Phil’s coercive commands, he leaves her in distress at the cliffside in a downbeat but gripping conclusion.
Thankfully for us, Lisa’s revenge later in the year would be a dish best served Dirty… by Den Watts.
8. Den and Sharon Watts (2003)
Whatever your views on the resurrection of Den Watts, no one can deny the unmissable and iconic television it produced, and the two-hander between Den and his ‘princess’ Sharon is an unforgettable bit of soap history. With a fiery script from Sarah Phelps, Sharon went through all of the emotions as she was reunited with the father she believed had been assassinated by gangsters over a decade before.
Feeling elation to sickness to anger to tears, Letitia Dean put in a killer soap performance that took us on the roller coaster ride with Sharon as she let rip at Den for his long absence from her life and for putting her through so much trauma. Building on the secrets and lies that had even occurred during their time together, Den and Sharon’s complex relationship was given centre stage, and it successfully grounded one of the soap’s most outlandish twists in a harsh reality.
7. Jay Brown and Lola Pearce-Brown (2023)
The newest episode to break the top 10, the final days of Lola Pearce-Brown (an exceptionally moving Danielle Harold) was EastEnders firing on every emotional cylinder, and it was this two-hander which would provide some of the most powerful scenes. As Lola’s brain tumour worsened her physical condition, she had asked her beloved ‘pops’ Billy Mitchell (Perry Fenwick) to help her end her own life when the time was right. Following this turn, this simultaneously distressing and joyful trip to Margate saw Lola and her struggling husband Jay reach a crossroads, and showed soap at its poignant best.
Utilising its on-location setting and delivering a change of pace to the soap, whilst also giving sweet moments (Jay’s acoustic musical performance) with the tear-jerking (the pair argue about Lola’s euthanasia plans) and allowing both Harold and Borthwick to deliver poignant and full-rounded performances that complimented their chemistry perfectly, this is an all-timer.
6. Phil and Grant Mitchell (1994)
Few EastEnders storylines are as iconic as Sharongate, and the true betrayal at the heart of the story lies in the biggest crisis ever posed to the watertight sibling bond of the Mitchell brothers. There is a reason why the Mitchell brothers remain so iconic, and that is because both Steve McFadden and Ross Kemp bounce ofd each other so well – and really were the ice to each other’s fire. Hence the genius of the Square’s princess Sharon coming between them.
Yes, the recording reveal of the affair to the Vic remains the most iconic soap moment, as did the physical confrontation between the brothers in the Arches, but their reunion in the hospital following the beating Phil received by Grant is also a vital piece in the puzzle.
In some ways, again with this two-hander, the Mitchell brothers are shown at their toxic co-dependent worst; there is the slut-shaming of the absent yet ever-present Sharon, and a lot of blame is levelled at her unfairly in scenes that expose the pair’s macho misogyny, and yet their absolute vulnerability and uncomfortably close bond is exposed for all to see, making a vital microcosm of arguably two of the most iconic characters in British television history.
5. Sharon Watts and Michelle Fowler (1989)
It was one of the best-kept secrets in soap history – for years, EastEnders fans had been in on the secret that Den Watts had fathered a baby with his teenage daughter’s best pal Michelle Fowler (Sue Tully), who was named Vicki. While the likes of Michelle’s mother Pauline had discovered her secret, one person who remained in the dark was Mich’s sister-like best pal Sharon. This all changed, however, following the apparent death of Den and the departure of his ex Angie (Anita Dobson).
EastEnders always hits differently at nighttime. This two-hander is no different, as a tipsy Sharon (Letitia Dean showing her maturing acting talents) proclaims that Michelle (the ever-naturalistic Sue Tully) and young Vicki are her chosen family, prompting Michelle to admit the truth – they’re her real family, and Vicki is her half-sister.
Of course, Sharon is initially in disbelief, but is ultimately heartbroken at the betrayal – her father was even more selfish and treacherous than she ever knew, and her best friend lied to her for years and betrayed her. Lashing out with violence and harsh words, Sharon declares that she wished her worldview had never been so shaken, and that it had remained a secret. While the episode feels like an emotional nightmare, time would show that honesty was the best policy for Sharon and Michelle, ultimately leaving them closer than ever.
4. Little Mo and Trevor Morgan (2002)
One of the hardest-hitting and most impactful storylines in EastEnders history is the domestic abuse of the caring Little Mo Morgan (a heartbreaking turn from Kacey Ainsworth) at the hands of her sadistic husband Trevor Morgan (a chilling performance from actor Alex Ferns). Having run for nearly two years, the gritty plot showed the terrifying reality for many victims of abuse, but the plot reached its climax when Trevor returned amid Little Mo’s Halloween engagement party to Billy and held her hostage in the Slater house.
Unpicking all of the terrifying behaviour that Trevor exposed Little Mo to throughout their marriage, writer Tony Jordan gives Ainsworth and Ferns a stage to unravel both characters, and bring us to Little Mo at her steeliest and Trevor at his most murderous in a chilling hostage situation. It’s not always the easiest watch, but this material should never be easy to watch. The episode builds to a classic fiery cliffhanger that leaves both characters’ fates in grave danger. Thankfully, Little Mo would ultimately escape the flames, but Trevor met his long overdue comeuppance.
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3. Den and Angie Watts (1986)
The original EastEnders two-hander with the original iconic premiere couple of the series, this 1986 episode sees Den prepare to end his fiery but dying marriage to Angie and leave her and the Queen Vic pub for a new life with mistress Jan Hammond. What follows is a dramatic volley of insults and pleading as Angie does her best to convince her beloved Den to stay with her, but he remains adamant he is leaving her… until she drops the bombshell – she’s terminally ill and only has six months to live.
Building on the charismatic duo’s huge popularity, this chapter from writer Jane Hollowood gives Dobson and Grantham some of their best-ever material, with a disbelieving Den eventually coming around to Angie’s tragic tale of woe. Yet, in one of the soap’s most memorable cliffhangers, a devious smirk from Dobson in a stark close-up confirms Angie’s galling lie. Of course, this would only build to the epic Christmas serving of divorce papers, but this two-hander is a true classic in its own right.
2. Kat and Zoe Slater (2001)
EastEnders at its hard-hitting best and continuing on from that iconic “You Ain’t My Muvva” cliffhanger, maestro Tony Jordan delivers Kat and Zoe Slater having a tumultuous, revealing and heartbreaking dialogue after the revelation that they are not sisters but mother and daughter.
Set mostly in the Slater house, a disbelieving Zoe (a fiery Michelle Ryan) demands answers from Kat following her maternity claims. Jessie Wallace gives one of her most riveting performances as Kat here, initially evading Zoe’s line of questioning before admitting the circumstances that saw her choose to give Zoe over to her parents to raise.
Yet, as a furious Zoe proclaims her intentions to move to Spain with her great-uncle Harry Slater (portrayed by Michael Elphick) to anger and escape Kat, her mother lets out the darkest truth of all – Harry is also Zoe’s biological father, having subjected his niece Kat to child sexual abuse. The episode was appointment viewing following its predecessor’s iconic cliffhanger, but this ending also left viewers gasping for more. It’s dark, taboo-shattering, kitchen-sink drama and an example of what a soap can do at the height of its powers.
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1. Pat Evans and Peggy Mitchell (1998)
It’s hard to find two soap characters more iconic than Pat Evans and Peggy Mitchell, nor dialogue as forever quotable as the content found in Tony Jordans’s masterful script here. Soaps are at their best with strong and fiery women at the centre of their stories, and few performances are more steely, sassy and vulnerable as Pam St Clement and Barbara Windsor here.
Following the disappearance of Pat’s troubled husband Roy and some false rumours of Frank Butcher cheating on fiancée Peggy with ex-wife Pat, tensions are high for both of the leading ladies of the Square – and the two offer each other companionship and then rivalry as they discuss the troubles that ail them.
Of course, the explosive ‘You B***h!/You Cow!’ slanging match remains the most endlessly memed and remembered scene of the episode, but the entire script is a chamber piece overflowing with gems of moments. Two masterful soap actresses at their very best delivering barbs and insights in equal measure, the episode remains a treat to behold over 25 years later. Hilarious, dramatic, and a definitive episode of EastEnders in a golden era.
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EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One and from 6am on BBC iPlayer. Visit our dedicated EastEnders page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers.
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